Aboud opens Mode Alive carpark to local vendors

Customers shopping at Mode Alive  in Valsayn can also able buy local goods from a variety of vendors selling local goods, produce and food. CEO Gary Aboud said this market, which has been going on for several years, has become even more important because of covid19.

Aboud said thousands of people came to Mode Alive, especially at this time of year, and the vendors were able to benefit from the foot traffic. He said supporting vendors has always been a part of the modus operandi of Mode Alive, especially as his father Jimmy Aboud, was a vendor.

“We have local people who make all kinds of local things like ponche de crème, sorrel, cakes, black cakes, wall plaques, table and cushion covers, handbags, and more. It’s the whole spirit of Christmas to encourage people to be entrepreneurs. There are different people present on different days. It gives us a great sense of pride to use the Mode Alive brand to encourage young entrepreneurs to create self-employment and personal advancement.”

Aboud said the main criteria for vendors to be selected was that they had to be local, healthy, safe, and sustainable. He said this was part of the green environment that exists on the compound.

Jae John of R&J Organics and Sweet Hand Garden Centre said she has been coming daily for the past five years. She said sales fluctuate throughout the year but are usually good. Bead.iT.TT founder Tekeisha Watson said it was her second year and sales were better than last year.

“There are different ages coming here from the really old and the really young and the in-between and I target all of them. I’m grateful to Mr Aboud, because at the end of the day he’s not charging anything for us to be here, and he doesn’t have to do it, but he allows us to be here.”

Carol Rampersad of TriniBeans said the reception to her locally made snacks, sandwiches and chow had been tremendously good from staff and management as well as the shoppers. “I’m speaking for the vendors when I say we appreciate this opportunity to come out here in this covid19 season and earn a dollar.”